Waiting........

Things continue to progress here as anticipated. Last week we received our NVC (National Visa Center) letter which acknowledged our clearance to the U.S. Consulate in Guangzhou. Our travel approval should arrive in approximately 4-5 weeks, then we would travel to China approx 3 -5 weeks after that. All in all, things are going as planned. Thank you for your prayers! Until we travel, we continue to organize and NEST!

One funny thing we have noticed around home is how the cats have gotten used to Zach. He can now get up on the bed and sit next to them without having them hiss, run and hide! He can even pet both of them. That's major progress! When we first came home with Zach, they basically lived under the bed. What they don't realize is that they will probably be spending a lot of time under the bed again soon!

The cool thing about this adoption process is how we can rest assured that God's going before us taking care of Mason as well as taking care of all the details. Check this out: Psalms 139: 2-7

You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my thoughts even when I’m far away.  You see me when I travel and when I rest at home. You know everything I do. You know what I am going to say even before I say it, LORD. You go before me and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great for me to understand!  I can never escape from your Spirit! I can never get away from your presence! 

Isn't it cool that he will see us when we travel??!! Or that He goes before us? We as humans have a hard time comprehending what that means. But isn't it so reassuring??

Four & A Cake

The Big Brother is now 4 1/2. Or as Zach would say it--Four and A Cake. Who knows where he got that one! He still likes trains, but has also taken interest in other things. He's fascinated with maps and probably knows more state capitols than momma! He also has been interested in the planets. He'd like to ride in a rocket into space one day, but doesn't want to go to Saturn--he might fall off its ring!!!

Here's a shot of one other thing he's been fascinated with. Take a look....can you guess who he is??? Keep guessing......ok, if you can't figure it out, scroll down....

THE STATUE OF LIBERTY!!!!!!!

LOA in hand!

Yes, we got our LOA last week. We kept it in our possession for about 12 hours, then mailed it on to USCIS. We anticipate traveling sometime in April!!!!!

LOA on the WAY!

We FINALLY got the call we've been waiting for! Our Letter of Acceptance (LOA) is the way to Iowa. It should be in hand tomorrow! We had been told the wait time could be 30-90 days to receive LOA from China. We waited 96 days and got the much-waited call on the Chinese New Year. We still have several hoops to jump through, but we anticipate traveling sometime in April 2012 to bring Mason home.

We had the opportunity to celebrate the Chinese New Year with lots of other families who have adopted children from China. It was so neat to look around the room and see how God used adoption to build so many beautiful families. Zach proudly wore his Chinese silk shirt, after I reassured him that it did not have buttons on it (remember, he wears nothing with buttons). We called them "fasteners"!

 

When asked what his favorite part of the New Year celebration was, he said "wrestling with Michael" (Michael is the big brother of Ethan, who was adopted from China about a year after Zachary). 

Here's Zach and new friend, Ruby. Ruby just came home to her forever family in December. Isn't she a doll???

I showed Zach the calendar so he could try to grasp that we still have many days until Mason comes home. He said "but I can't wait that long"!!!! He has many things he wants to teach Mason;) Mom & Dad can't wait til we get to squeeze that little guy and love on him in person!

Merry Christmas

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